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Bartholin's cyst/abscess treatment (marsupialisation)
Category: Women's Health & Childbirth · All women's health & childbirth
What it is
The Bartholin's glands sit at the vaginal opening and can block, forming a cyst or a painful abscess. Treatment ranges from a small balloon catheter (Word catheter) that keeps a new opening draining, to marsupialisation — a minor operation creating a permanent small opening so fluid can drain.
Why it is done
Treatment is advised for painful, infected or recurrent cysts, or cysts large enough to interfere with sitting, walking or sex. Simple painless cysts, especially in younger women, may need no procedure.
How to prepare
Assessment confirms the diagnosis; in women over 40 or with a solid lump, a biopsy may be taken to exclude rare other causes. Procedures are usually under local anaesthetic (sometimes general for abscesses). Fasting is only needed if general anaesthetic is planned.
What happens during the procedure
Under anaesthetic, a small cut drains the cyst or abscess. For marsupialisation the cyst wall edges are stitched to the skin to form a pouch that stays open. A Word catheter uses a small balloon left in place for a few weeks to form a lasting channel. The procedure takes about 15 to 30 minutes.
Afterwards — recovery & results
Sitz baths and keeping the area clean help healing. With a Word catheter you will be shown how to care for it until removal at a few weeks. Discomfort settles over days; sit on a cushion and seek help for increasing pain, swelling or fever.
Risks & considerations
Risks include bleeding, infection persistence or recurrence (the condition can recur even after good surgery), scarring and temporary discomfort with sex. Recurrence rates differ by technique, which your clinician will discuss.
Watch: Bartholin's cyst/abscess treatment (marsupialisation) videos
Real procedure videos from the MedicalVideos.com library. Some clinical footage is graphic — that is the nature of a medical video library.
Frequently asked questions
Why not just antibiotics?
An established abscess usually needs drainage to resolve; antibiotics alone often fail because the pus is walled off. Antibiotics may be added when there is surrounding infection.
Will it come back?
It can. Marsupialisation and Word catheters aim to create a permanent drainage opening, which lowers recurrence compared with simple drainage alone.
Related procedures — Women's Health & Childbirth
Browse the B section of the A–Z list or return to the Procedures & Tests hub.